Carbon black process

ABSTRACT

A carbon black process is disclosed wherein a hydrocarbon feedstock is axially introduced into a tubular reactor at one end, carbon black-bearing smoke is withdrawn at the other end, a first vortex of hot combustion gases is created around the hydrocarbon feedstream, and wherein a second vortex is created upstream with respect to the first vortex, said second vortex being created under such conditions as to exert an aspirating effect on the gases of the first vortex so that an axial prolongation of the zone of hot combustion gases of the first vortex moving around the hydrocarbon feedstream is created upstream of the first vortex. A reactor shaped to carry out said process is also disclosed.

This is a divisional application of my copending application Ser. No. 464,953, filed Apr. 29, 1974, now allowed U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,836 which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 285,115, filed Aug. 31, 1972, now abandoned.

This invention relates to the production of carbon black from hydrocarbons by pyrolytical decomposition thereof.

In one of its more specific aspects this invention relates to a carbon black process and reactor in which there is generated a circular jet and reverse flow of combustion gases.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the art that carbon black can be produced by axially introducing a hydrocarbon feedstream into a tubular reactor at one end and creating a vortex of hot combustion gases surrounding said feedstock so as to decompose the hydrocarbon and form a hydrocarbon-bearing smoke which can be recovered at the other end of the tubular reactor. This method has proven to be very successful. However, there is still a demand for carbon black having a further improved structure. The production of high structure furnace black is highly desirable because of the easy processing of rubber compositions containing the black. It is believed that the existence of a high temperature shield surrounding the hydrocarbon feed core is one of the most important conditions required for high structure black production.

Structure is a measure for the degree of internodular fusion or aggregate size. High structure means that there is a high number of carbon black modules fused together to form one particle, whereas low structure means that there are only a few carbon black nodules fused together to form one particle.

THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a process for the production of carbon black.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process for the production of high structure carbon black.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new carbon black reactor.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hydrocarbon reactor which can be used to create an axially long high temperature shield surrounding the hydrocarbon feed.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a hydrocarbon reactor which can be used to produce high structure carbon black.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, the drawing and the attached claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention there is now provided a carbon black process wherein a hydrocarbon feedstream is axially introduced into the first end of a tubular reactor, a first vortex is created by causing a circular movement of hot combustion gases around said axial hydrocarbon feedstream at a first velocity around the longitudinal axis of the tubular reactor, the carbon black-bearing smoke is removed from the reactor, and wherein the process further comprises the improvement of creating a second vortex having the same directional sense as the first vortex by causing a circular spinning movement of gases around the hydrocarbon feed at a location between the locus of creation of the first vortex and the first end of the reactor and by moving these gases at the locus of creation of the vortex at a second velocity around the longitudinal axis of the reactor, the second velocity being considerably higher than the first velocity of the hot combustion gases but moving in the same directional sense of rotation as the gases creating the first vortex.

Velocity in this context is to be understood as the circumferential component of the velocity of the gas stream at the location of the creation of the vortex; in the preferred case of tangential introduction this velocity is the linear velocity of the gases introduced into the reactor. The second velocity for the gases of the second vortex is preferably near to sonic speed and about 50 to about 600 percent higher than the respective first velocity of the hot combustion gases. In other words, the second circular velocity for the second vortex at the location of its creation should preferably be about 1.5 to 7 times the first circular velocity of the hot combustion gases at the location of the creation of the first vortex.

The reactor is provided with a tubular interior that is dimensioned so as to limit the external diameter of the first vortex to a value higher than the diameter of the second vortex. In general, the external diameter of the first vortex is about 25 to about 500 percent larger than the external diameter of the second vortex. Preferably, the tubular interior of the reactor is dimensioned so that the external diameter of the first vortex is about 50 to about 300 percent larger than the external diameter of the second vortex.

The words "upstream" and "downstream" should refer to the direction of flow of hydrocarbon feed. Thus, the first end of the tubular reactor where the hydrocarbon is introduced into the reactor is also called the upstream end. The word "tangential" should refer to a direction of introduction of gases approximately tangential to a circle drawn around the longitudinal axis of the reactor having a radius which equals the distance between the center of introduction of the gases and the longitudinal axis. If the gases are introduced at more than one locus the directions of introduction are such that the same sense of circular motion around the axis of the reactor is created.

It is believed that the second vortex with its high speed gases causes a strong suction effect on the spinning gases of the first vortex, thus increasing in upstream direction the length of the portion where the hot combustion gases surround the hydrocarbon feedstream like a cylinder as a high temperature shield. By the process and apparatus of this invention the axial momentum of the high speed circular jet is reduced and an effective, reverse flow, high temperature shield is created around the axially introduced hydrocarbon feed core.

To create the second vortex with the high circumferential speed it is presently preferred to use oxygen or oxygen-containing gases. The quantity of gas used preferably is such that up to about 15 percent of the total oxygen is introduced by the gases creating the second vortex.

This invention also provides a reactor in which there is established a circular jet-generated reverse flow of the type required for high structure black production.

In accordance with a further embodiment of this invention there is also provided a longitudinally disposed carbon black reactor with tubular-shaped interior which comprises an upstream or first end, an aspiration or axial section connected therewith, in open connection and axial alignment therewith a combustion section, in open connection and axial alignment therewith a reaction section, a downstream or second end connected with said reaction section, said reactor further comprising first means for the axial introduction of hydrocarbon feed into the aspiration or axial section, second means for the tangential introduction of combustion gases at a first velocity into the combustion section to create a first vortex surrounding the hydrocarbon feed stream, third means for tangential introduction of gas at a second velocity considerably higher than the first velocity into the aspiration or axial section for creating a second vortex surrounding the hydrocarbon feedstream and having the same rotational sense as the first vortex, and having recovery means for the recovery of the hydrocarbon-bearing smoke leaving the downstream end of the reactor.

The presently preferred reactor has an axial or aspiration section having sides diverging outwardly from the horizontal axis in the downstream direction and a combustion section having its downstream walls adapted for angular convergence to the longitudinal axis of the reactor in a downstream direction. The terms "diverging" and "converging" refer to the interior shape of the walls or sides defining the different sections of the reactor.

The presently preferred reactor is provided with an inlet hydrocarbon feed discharge conduit upstream of which there is positioned at least one port for the tangential introduction of reactants into the axial or aspiration section at a rate sufficient to aspirate at least a portion of those reactants introduced into the combustion section upstream into the axial or aspiration section.

Employing the reactor described, a jet of air or oxygen is introduced tangentially at or near sonic velocity upstream of the discharge from the hydrocarbon feed conduit to establish a circular jet; this jet creates a very low pressure upstream of the locus of hydrocarbon introduction. The axial momentum of the circular jet is small because of its tangential introduction. As a result, at least a portion of the gases introduced into the combustion section is aspirated into the axial zone. These combustion gases mix with the high speed circular jet and the entire mass thus formed envelops the feed core along its longitudinal axis as a high temperature shield. The amount of air or oxygen introduced to create the circular jet and aspirating effect is from about 5 to about 20 volume-percent of the total oxygen-containing stream introduced into the reactor.

The walls of the axial zone diverge in a downstream direction from the longitudinal axis of the reactor (half angle) by about 10°, preferably from about 3° to about 6°, from the horizontal. This increases the pressure differential between the combustion zone and the upstream end of the axial zone.

The downstream walls of the combustion zone converge inwardly to the longitudinal axis of the reactor, preferably at an angle of between about 70° and about 30°. This serves to laminarize the rotational flow of those gases introduced tangentially into the combustion section so that the high temperature gas shield, created in the aspiration or axial section and surrounding the feed core, survives for a greater distance down the length of the reaction section.

The process of the present invention can be carried out employing as hydrocarbon feed, fuels and reactants such materials as are conventionally employed for those purposes. Also, as employed herein, the term "combustion gases 

